ST. LOUIS -
For the third time this season, Illinois State junior third baseman Abby Olson earned the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week honor, as announced by the league office Monday afternoon. Olson received the honor for her flawless defensive performance and powerful offensive display last week.

Olson batted .556 (5-9) in the three-game series against Northern Iowa with three home runs and drove in five Redbird runs. She hit two homers in the first game Saturday, improving her season total to 13 shots.

In Saturday's games, Olson hit three home runs and drove in four Redbird runs. The Hartsburg, Ill., native held a batting average of .800 over the two games. In the first inning of the first game, Hamilton started the Redbird offense when she beat out a throw at first after laying down a slow-rolling bunt. One batter later, Olson sent a two-run shot over the left field fence that bounced off of the scoreboard.

In the third, Illinois State sent two home runs out of the park and increased its lead over Northern Iowa by eight runs. Olson, who was the leadoff batter, hit her second shot of the day over the right field fence.

Olson sent a homer out of the park in the first inning of the final game to give Illinois State a quick one-run lead. It was the third homer of the day for the junior third baseman.

After competing in all of ISU's 27 games, Olson holds a .436 batting average with 25 runs on 34 hits.

Olson is the third Redbird to receive the honor this season. Michelle Henderson earned the honor Feb. 22, 2010, while Nelson earned the honor March 22.

Illinois State will travel to Terre Haute, Ind., to take on Indiana State for a mid-week doubleheader Tuesday afternoon before returning home to host conference foe Evansville Saturday-Sunday.